My Writing Process

Before I was hit by the idea for the novel I’m currently writing (a.k.a. ‘The Big One’) my writing process was very different to what it is now. I used to have an idea and just sit down to write it cold, no planning at all. Is it any wonder I hit so many brick walls? However, when Long Road Home (LRH) entered my conscious mind I knew without a doubt that everything I was used to would have to change. The backstory to Doyle’s character is pivotal to the plot of LRH and I was never going to be able to write the story without some serious planning.

Character planning comes first with me, mostly because when I have an idea for a story, it originates as just characters in my head acting out a role-play of scenes when I’m bored or have nothing else to think about. Yeah, it can take a few days for me to realise that I’m actually telling myself a story. So with the characters already existing in my mind, beginning my planning with them makes sense. Once I have them pretty well fleshed out, I go on to setting, which I don’t plan in nearly as much detail. I get things such as location, population and basic history down, and have a mental map of the main areas of town. Only after that do I sit down and plan out my chapters. With LRH I put in a lot of work doing this because I understood how crucial it would be to the success of the story. I had to have a complete timeline worked out so I could plant foreshadowing and make the characters develop at the right pace. Of course, the plan I have now is very different to the plan I originally came up with but I’m glad about that. I’m confident in the story I now have, much more so than the original version.

I would love to say that I write every day, but I don’t. I really try to get something down most days and really feel guilty when that doesn’t happen. Still, at least on those days I don’t write, I’m thinking about something to do with the story, whether it be plot, character, setting or voice. Ironing out those little details may not be as enjoyable as actually writing, but it’s just as important. Sometimes I can’t quite get all the creases out though, and that’s where Jess and JJ (and to a lesser extent, my brother) come in. Jess and JJ have been my sounding boards from the very beginning and they understand the intricacies of LRH as well as I do, so when I have a creative problem, they’re the ones I run to. While they know the story as well as I do, they’re also removed from it and that helps get over whatever problem I’m facing. My brother is a little different. He’s like a maths/science genius and sometimes I wonder if he’s got a calculator in his head. But he offers a very practical side to things, which I sometimes miss when I’m caught up in that surge of creative energy.

How much can I write in one sitting? It depends. I find Doyle chapters easier to write than Andie ones, and sometimes, even with Doyle, I feel like banging my head against a brick wall because the words won’t come out right. When I get on a roll though, I’m like a runaway train; I’ll only stop when I have nowhere else to go. That surge of adrenaline is a great feeling, and I love when I can stop writing, take a deep breath and look back over what I’ve done with a feeling of pride.

I think it’s definitely true to say that I love nothing more than writing. Seeing the product of my labours is great too, but it’s not nearly as exciting as actually sitting in front of a screen, hearing the tapping of the keys and watching the words appear as my fingers try to keep up with my mind. Some days I ask myself if there’s any better feeling in the world, and I guess there must be something that at least matches what I feel when I write; it’s just a matter of finding it. Until then though, I am content to tap away and dream of publication.

Marie